Mountains, MINIs, and some of the most massive living beings on the planet...giant sequoias, over the course of not one, but two days of fun runs!
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks' website
Your Host(s) for the Event
Dolores & Rick Sanchez
Register via MotorSport Registry
Run Overview
Please note that this is not a normal one-day club run.
On Saturday, members will drive through the farmlands of multiple central valley counties and through the towns of Keyes, Snelling, Hornitos, Mariposa, and Oakhurst. After having a relaxing lunch in Oakhurst, we will continue our journey through the backroads that run parallel to CA-41 S to the city of Fresno and onto CA-180. From CA-180 E we will drive to Dunlop Road and drive through the towns of Dunlap, Miramonte and ending at our destination of Three Rivers. Book your Saturday night lodging in the Three Rivers area so you can join the group for a second day of driving on CA-198 into Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park.
On Sunday, members will drive through Sequoia National Park into Kings Canyon Park via the 46-mile General Highway and exit the park at the Big Stump Entrance on CA-180. From the Big Stump entrance, members will take CA-180 W for approx. 50 miles, towards Fresno, and then onto Hwy 99 N for our drive back home.
Saturday, September 9 - Run 1 (Salida to Oakhurst):
Meet-up Time/Departure Time
9:00 am / 9:30 am
Meet-up Location
Del Taco parking lot
4300 Salida Blvd
Salida, CA 95368
Salida Del Taco Meetup Location
Route - Day 1, Run 1
https://goo.gl/maps/P36AJG9E8MpxWFQ58
Day 1, Run 1 - Details
Please have a radio tuned to Channel 7-21 CTCSS to hear alerts during all runs! The Club has loaners if you don’t have your own. Leaders will use the club radios to alert drivers to hazards, so please have your radios or borrow the club radios to listen in.
Please fill up before meeting at Del Taco. There is an ARCO station right next to Del Taco and a Chevron station at the corner of Sisk Rd. and Pelandale Avenue. Saturday's route can be easily completed with a full tank.
We will be driving for approximately 2 hours before we stop in the town of Oakhurst for lunch. Please take your bathroom break before we leave Del Taco.
Upon arriving in Oakhurst, we will drive into the Old Mill Village Shopping Center. After a 1 hr. lunch break, we will regroup at the Bank of America Parking Lot. There are several eating options within a 1/4-mile radius of Old Mill Village Shopping Center. Everyone is on their own for lunch.
Lunch Options:
Southgate Brewing Company - (559) 692-2739 for reservations
Plazuelas Mexican Restaurant - (559) 658-7771 for reservations
VONS In-store Deli
Saturday, September 9 - Run 2 (Oakhurst to Three Rivers):
Meet-up Time/Departure Time
12:30 pm / 1:00 pm
Meet-up Location
Bank of America parking lot
Old Mill Village
40032 CA-49
Oakhurst, CA 93664
Oakhurst Bank of America Meetup Location
Route - Day 1, Run 2
https://goo.gl/maps/jjqDNt9nkx2FM1FU9
Day 1, Run 2 - Details
If you did not fill up at the start of the day, please fill up before the afternoon Driver’s Meeting.
Day 1 Run 2 is a 139-mile drive. Near the afternoon Run 2 meetup, there is a Chevron station at roughly Highway 41 and Crane Valley Rd., and a Sinclair at roughly Highway 41 and Civic Circle.
From the Vons Parking Lot, we will exit back onto CA-49 E then make a left turn onto Hwy. 41 N. We will regroup on Rd 426/Crane Valley Road. Rd 426 turns into Rd 222.
We will continue south on Rds 426/222 through the town of Fine Gold. As we get to the City of Fresno, we will merge onto CA-41 S and then onto CA-180 E. We will take Dunlop Road through the towns of Miramonte, Badger, and then into Three Rivers.
Upon arriving in Three Rivers, everyone is free to do as they please. We will not be able to park in a central location due to limited parking in this small town.
If you have your pre-purchased National Park pass, you can drive into the Sequoia National Park, which is 6 miles north of Three Rivers, or check into your respective lodging locations.
There is no planned location for dinner on Saturday night. The Gateway Restaurant and Lodge is a popular local restaurant in Three Rivers with outdoor dining and a view of the river. (Reservations 1 week ahead are recommended) https://gateway-sequoia.com.
Downtown Visalia is about 30 minutes south on Hwy 198 from Three Rivers for those seeking more dining options.
Refer to the "Lodging Planner" post on the norcalminis.com website for National Park visitor pass and lodging information.
Gateway Lodge & Restaurant
Gateway Outdoor Seating
Downtown Visalia
Sunday, September 10 Run (Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park):
Meet-up Time/Departure Time
9:00 am / 9:30 am
Meet-up Location
Foothills Visitor Center parking lot
47050 General Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271
Foothills Visitor Center - Day 2 Meetup Location
Route - Day 2
https://goo.gl/maps/GtZtKhHLWbqTeUNv5
Day 2 - Details
Please fill up before meeting at the Foothills Visitor Center.
Please pre-purchase your visitor pass online well before the run! The lines to purchase passes at the entrance can be very long and take too much time. Refer to the "Lodging Planner" post on the norcalminis.com website for visitor pass information.
This is a 46-mile uphill, twisty drive through the park on the General Highway. Eating options are limited, so packing a picnic lunch is suggested prior to starting today’s drive.
We will meet inside the park at the Foothills Visitor Center parking lot for our driver’s meeting. It is approx. 1 mile from the park entrance on the right-hand side. The Sequoia National Park sign is located before the Foothills Visitor Center. Stop by for a Kodak moment.
We do not expect everyone to stay together on this run as there are many sites to stop and sightsee. We suggest you buddy up with other members at the drivers' meeting if you'd like company during the run. Refer to the online Google map for sights such as the General Sherman Tree, Tunnel Rock, and Lost Grove.
Traffic tends to slow down near Kings Canyon Overlook, so watch for slowing/parked cars and pedestrians.
Note: Before leaving the park, the hosts suggest you stop at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center and Grant Grove Market for snacks, souvenirs, and restroom access. The visitor center has a 15-minute video on the history of the park that is shown all day. They are located in Grant Grove Village, 3 miles east on CA-180 from Big Stump Entrance.
From the Big Stump entrance, we will continue on CA-180 W towards Fresno. This is a downhill, twisty two-lane road. The CA-99 N on-ramp is approximately 55 miles from the Big Stump Entrance.
The run is officially over once we exit Kings Canyon National Park. You are free to head home via whatever route best suits you. Motor on!
Additional Run Details
Please bring your radio, fully charged, turned on, and tuned to Channel 7, Subchannel 21 CTCSS before you arrive at the start. If you don’t have a radio, ask for a loaner at the driver’s meeting. For radio recommendations, please see https://www.facebook.com/legacy/notes/728353274556164/.
Be sure to turn the “VOX” voice-activated setting OFF, or we will hear the wind from your AC, your conversations, and any noise in your car broadcasting to everyone.
We ask that you turn on low-beam headlights - not Auto - to make us more visible to other vehicles either ahead or behind us, including your fellow MINI drivers!
Headlight Switch: Full Manual On